Money talk 'inappropriate' for kids, say parents

Almost a third of adults think it's inappropriate to include their children in general discussions about money, a family charity has found.

The Home-Start charity found that 31% of mums and dads don't discuss the family finances with their children, despite the fact that more than a quarter of kids (28%) said they think about money a lot, while three-quarters (75%) said they should be involved in family discussions about what to spend their money on.

Despite this engagement, the Money Talk report found finance is still a sensitive subject for British households. Some 61% of adults said they wouldn't discuss their mortgage with their children and 68% wouldn't talk about buying a new car.

However, in some cases there is a shift in attitudes. Two-thirds of adults (66%) said they involved their children in deciding where to go on holiday, while 64% said they had a discussion over what clothes they should buy.

Overall, a third of adults (33%) admitted they found talking about money difficult to family and friends, while 40% said they considered their financial matter to be private. More than one in 10 (11%) admitted that they do not speak to others about their finances at all.

When asked why they think money is a taboo topic, 18% admitted they think it is impolite to talk about money, 17% said they did not want to appear boastful, while 15% saying they felt embarrassed when talking about their finances.

Rob Parkinson, Home-Start chief executive, said: "This report shows that children today are very interested in and attuned to money but we also know that their willingness to learn far outweighs their knowledge.

"The role of parents and carers in educating their children about money from an early age is incredibly important in order to stand them in good stead for later in life."

David Rowsell, head of Lloyds Banking Group's Money for Life programme, said: "It is vital that adults have the skill and confidence to manage their finances effectively. We welcome this report and its action to encourage early and open engagement within families."